Gates goes back to school in New Cross

Wednesday 25 January 2012 12:44 BST

Bill Gates today made a surprise visit to a London school and asked pupils how he should spend his money to improve the world.

The multi-billionaire spent two hours speaking to children at Deptford Green school in New Cross after a teacher asked for someone with an "interest in global issues" to visit her students as part of the Speakers for Schools programme.

Mr Gates used the visit to launch his annual letter, in which he sets out his priorities for the coming year, and asked the pupils what they thought were the world's most pressing problems. He stopped off in London on his journey from Seattle to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.